Okay Ralph, I guess if there were ever any doubt about what I said and meant you just removed it all. Good post even if a little succinctly put.
It's local knowledge or knowing people who have that local knowledge which can mean the difference between losing your shirt and making sound, safe investments in this game which is exactly why my company listens to Southernbelle and her connections in the USA and our other agents worldwide.

Hi people,
Just remember we all have our own thoughts on this forum,a personal attack is not really what we all want to read about is it?.
If anybody has personal issues please take this up with private messaging.
If you do not agree with anybody put your case forward without being personal.

Answer: Your market is on a slide and is not stable -- take the unknown impact of an election year to boot and the US becomes as attractive as Antartica.

I am from Woodstock NY and living and investing in the Dominican Republic for 8 years now.

I am following the markets closely in Atlanta and Palm Beach County Florida and expect to probably jump into the fray in the next year or so in Atlanta.

I am a bottom fisher and love to get in somewhere around the bottom and do a 5 year or so hold.

I use to go to North Carolina on business both to the Hickory and Highpoint areas and enjoyed them. I just don't want to live there and since I am a hands on investor I mostly invest where I am although I still have property in the Hudson Valley in New York State I will try to sell.

In reply to the person before me I think everyone isn't too worried about the next election as there is confidence things will get better no matter what.

Interesting question and as a student of real estate of the Florida market please allow me my two cents. (Yes an American)

The best time to buy is when there is blood in the streets. I don't think this is a good time in Florida "YET". I am looking at Florida (Palm Beach County) and Atlanta Georgia very carefully. The market hasn't bottomed out yet and I believe it has another year. When the dust is just starting to settle I will start picking away even if it still has a little farther to fall. I average in and average out and I am looking to start in a year and finish in 5 more or less. I like to make a profit on the purchase, renovations if any and capital gains. There is a great opportunity just over the horizon in my humble opinion.

It is an issue of timing. You can not be too early to get in or else this hurt s profits. If you are too late then you missed a golden opportunity. Florida will ripe for picking (in my humble opinion) in about a year.

TIM & ESCOTT,

2 kindred spirits - true contrarians - I doff my cap to you both.
For those who are not familiar with the term (and please I am not trying patronize anyone here - there are beginners out there who look at these forums for guidance) this means those who are willing to swim against the flow and do the exact opposite of perceived wisdom. Until it becomes perceived wisdom (Buy when others are getting rid, sell when you see the greed in their eyes).

It is not an exact science - unfortunately that's not possible (or I would have retired many years ago)

If you buy a property 10% above the market bottoming figure - so what! You merely hold on until it's increased 5%-10% (or more if you have the stomach for the ride) above bottoming out and then sell. If the market has already bottomed and you came a little late to the party - again - so what! You can still buy in a rising market as long as the indicators are there it is going to continue to rise.

There have been two Americans who have graced our prescence on this subject now. One an agent in the Carolinas and an investor in the S.E. and they are both pretty much saying the same thing. I tend to take notice when the locals start banging their drums. My company has its own advisor in Atlanta and he is upbeat about the whole area bar Florida and even there there are pockets with booty in them.

"Blood in the streets" Love it mate - only a Yank would bring a helicopter gunship to an investment forum.

Hope whoever you end up with as Mr/Ms Prez is an improvement on the current loathsome Gollum occupying the throne of freedom. Your lovely country and its people deserve better even though a large number of them don't seem to be capable of working that out for themselves. My interest comes from a colonist wife (from NY via FL), the fact that as an ex-squaddie there have been far too many young Brits sacrificed at the altar of profit for one generation (One day we may find a leader big enough to stand up for British foreign policy and not US interests) and the fact that I lived there for several years and grew to like most of the domestic breed I met. Like I said - US deserves better.

Strayed into politics - my apologies - I will promise to display more restraint. It's early, my old injuries won't let me sleep, the cat is demanding fed, it's cold, raining and there is no milk for my coffee - I'm grouchy. When's that gunship coming round again!

The ultimate question is to know when the market has bottomed off. Also, to make a proeprty investment for a mere 5-10% overall is a waste of time and money. Anything below a 30% profit and it is a waste of time.

Hi I'm new to this property overseas - we are looking at purchasing in Vegas but the property tax is putting us off - Do non residents have to pay this?

To my knowledge - Yep and if you don't keep up with it the state WILL take your property and auction it off.
Maybe there's an American cousin out there who will correct me if my info is out of date please.